Spike’s Red Mars on hold

Spike TV’s production of Kim Stanley Robinson’s prestigious Mars trilogy has gone on hold, after the departure of showrunner Peter Noah.

According to the report at Deadline, the studio is still hoping to bring the books to the screen with Skydance Productions. “The Red Mars trilogy is one of the most beloved, modern science fiction properties, in part because of its tremendous scope and ambition,” a spokesman told Deadline. “We are pausing to ensure we get the script right and to deliver fans what they want — a fantastic show that fully captures the spirit of these wonderful books.”

Noah’s departure comes shortly after the appointment of Greg Yataines as executive producer and director on the series. Babylon 5 creator J. Michael Straczynski wrote the pilot script, and according to Deadline, had the option to stay as showrunner, but elected not to.

It seems highly unlikely that Red Mars will now meet its planned January 2017 launch window.